Zomberee Campout

I thought that Allison would want to go to all of the camp-outs but I learned that this one she did not want to go on. I thought it was just a "fun" name not a "real" name. It was more "real" than either of us wanted it to be. Her scoutmaster doesn't like any of this scary Halloweeny type stuff either, so she would watch over her but I opted to go with them. With all of the Covid guidelines they couldn't camp for two nights so we left Saturday morning to drive an hour to the camp sight. Since we try not to camp on Sunday nights, she/we didn't even bring any tents or any type of camping stuff. She really doesn't like when she has to do that because she feels like she doesn't have a "home". I try to let her stay until it is lights out and then that is when I take her home. It is harder when it is here because this campsight is way out in the woods and an hour away.

I was glad that I could be there with Allison so I knew what happened. I really do enjoy going on these campouts, actually I just don't enjoy paying usually $25 for me and another for Allison when she isn't even there the whole time, and neither am I, AND for me, they like to do like prime rib, and fancy foods like that and I just don't like those types of food. I would rather just bring my own food, and pay $0.

There was an escape room that Allison was FREAKED out about. She was scared what they would do with her friends. The unknown was what really got her.  It was actually a pretty cool escape room that made the scouts remember things like the Scout oath, or law, or other Scout type things that they should always know, including the correct way to fold the flag. Apparently Allison's troop was the only troop that folded the flag properly the first time!! Awesome and really sad all at the same time.

There was only one time that they didn't know something and it had something to do with the history of scouts or something like that, nothing that they talk about on a regular basis. 

The day was pretty good and not scary, the girls had fun, but then in the late afternoon, "the zombies" were supposed to come and the scouts were supposed to get their campsites ready so they they wouldn't be able to get in.

Some of the girls painted their face really grossly. Some wore clothes that looked like they had blood on them and torn up, they put "blood" on axes and other tools, you know the creepy Halloweeny type stuff. It was just gross and Allison nor I enjoyed it. Some of their face paint was WAY too real looking.

At the very end of the night they had a "brain" eating contest or something like that.

Allison had NO desire to go to it, so she and I stayed back to make sure the fire didn't go out. We actually built a really big fire and it was really fun. The girls came back to an nice big fire.

One of the girls brought these brain cupcake and bone cupcakes for us:)

 My battery was almost completely dead went I thought would be fine in the fine once we got in the car, it would charge as we drove home. When we got in the car to go home, I realized that I didn't have the charging wire. Either Allison or I had cleaned out my car and removed it and didn't put it back. I HAD to have it in over to get us out of there and back home. I had NO idea how to get home. I had like 1% or 2% battery left when got in the car. I was VERY worried we would not make it home. I was very cautious with my power and I also had Allison pray for us that the batter would last us until I knew where we were and would be able to get home by myself. Thankfully we made it out of those back woods and made it home.

Heart Attacked....

This is the one thing that my kids look forward to at Valentines Day is their hearts and what words we are going to use to describe them this year.

They end to leave them up for a long time time afterwards. In fact, I think all of them still have their hearts up and it is now June.

Allison decided that Chris and I needed some hearts on our door as well so she cut some out and put them on our door for a surprise for us as well.

 

Allison Made STAR Rank!!!

I can't even remember what I was going to say about these pictures other than she is VERY excited about making STAR rank. The next two ranks are Life and Eagle.  She was SOOOO excited to get her YELLOW woggle so that everywhere she goes, people can automatically tell that she is Star rank (if they know about that). She used to just have a silver woggle but with this rank comes the yellow one.

She was also moved to a different patrol so instead of being the oldest in her patrol, she is the youngest. She was the patrol leader in her last patrol, and they just had elections again, and her new patrol still elected her as their patrol leader even though she is the youngest. She is not the youngest ranked though. There is one Life scout and one other Star rank. She is VERY excited to be in this new patrol and VERY excited to still be patrol leader. 

And of course, Yeti dog was very excited for her also:)

 

Last Matthew Water Bottle/Sidewalk Chalk

I thought we had found the LAST water bottle from Matthew's Eagle Court of Honor, but I think this one is TRULY the last one.....

Michelle drew/made me something with sidewalk chalk...

I (Heart) mom

 

Sweet Little Michelle

Sweet Little Michelle just wanted her picture taken:)

 

Rescued Dogs

I took Matthew out to go help me "get ready for Christmas" and as we were driving I looked at the offramp and saw cars stopping for two dogs to cross the road. As I was going to get onto the freeway, I said, ahh, I wish we could help them. Matthew said, why can't we? So I was like you are right, why can't we? I went around the different loops that I needed to to get back to the dogs. We pulled off and went down to where we saw them. We found them and Matthew started walking with them. I remembered I had treats in my van so I ran back to the van and look for them. I couldn't find them but found a leash so I grabbed that and ran back down the hill to go catch up with them again. When I found them, they were walking across the on ramp, and I saw Matthew right by the side of the road holding up his arms to a big garbage truck telling it to stop. The truck stopped, the dogs made it to the other side safely and Matthew went across with them. After the truck and other cars past, I went to the other side and we were able to catch them. One of them had a number and one of them had a name on their collars. We called the number and it was the lady looking for them. We told her where we were and where our car was parked. We got them safely back across the on ramp, headed to our van when I remembered that I did have another leash. I left Matthew with both dogs as I ran to get the 2nd leash. I came back, and we finished walking them to our van. We got them into our van so that they were safe and then I called the lady again. We agreed it would be easier if we met at the McDonalds that was just a little further up. We drove to the McDonalds and I remembered that we had a collapsible water bowl in the car and water so we let them have a drink. Matthew just beamed from ear to ear the whole time. He kind of fell in love with them in just the little time that we had them. He likes the bigger dogs. These two were REALLY friendly which was SOOO nice. 

The lady met us at McDonalds and we were able to reunite them. A gate got left open she said.

Matthew enjoyed rescuing these dogs and getting to be with them for just a little bit. We felt SO good inside!

 

Where is Noah's Ark?

We had a HUGE rainstorm on Christmas Eve and it COMPLETELY filled up our ditch.

I had put a big rock just inside the culvert so that balls couldn't go in there, but apparently it got pushed way in there after so many rainstorms. Also there were A LOT of leaves that got put in there and it just clogged the whole thing up. 

Allison and I were out there trying to make it go down.....

it didn't really work.

The day after Christmas, my next door neighbor came out and helped me get the BIG rock out and all of the leaves! Hopefully it should drain much better now.

 

Michelle's Obsession with Otters

One of Michelle's first days of Kindergarten, her librarian read her a story, Do Unto Otters.

She loved it, Allison remembered it from when she was little and loved it.

I ordered it in the scholastic book order but ever since then she has been fascinated with Otters.

She asked Santa for an otter, Aunt Sharon got her the big one and Santa gave her a little otter and a slap bracelet otter and she also got Otter pjs!

 

Dutch Oven Cooking

Allison is learning how to cook in the dutch oven so she is showing me how to do it.

This tasted really yummy too.

 

Michelle's Admirer

Michelle has a boy in her class that just thinks she is so cute and so nice!

His mom is also the other room parent so it is funny.

 

Pretty Sunset

 

Matthew's Laptop (Chromebook)

 

Our school district was planning on giving all of the MIDDLE schoolers laptops (Chromebooks) but then when all of the shutdowns happened, they got a whole bunch more money so they ordered more, enough to give to every student.

They used that laptops they had ordered to give to the virtual kids, no matter their grade. Then when the rest came they gave those new ones to the middle schoolers, then the high schooler, and then the elementary school students......every KINDERGARTENERS! They had enough to give to EVERY single student they have in their district, both virtual and face-to-face. Matthew FINALLY got his and he is very excited to get his. He got this before Thanksgiving break, and many thought it was because they were going to shut down after Thanksgiving. THANKFULLY they didn't. Then parents were VERY happy where their elementary students did NOT come home with their laptops during Christmas break because again many thought they would get shut down.

We are now into the 2nd semester and THANKFULLY we are still going. My kids need the social interactions and I am grateful every day when they get to go to school and get that.

More Hairstyles

I need to look at these hairstyles and remember how to do them so I can make a video of it....all pre-channel

Rope Twist french braid

Rope twist braids

Waterfall french braid with gorgeous curls!

 

Christmas Tree

Braided star with fishtails

Candy cane hair

Star

My Birthday Cake

Chris normally makes my birthday cake, which is always this very involved carrot cake.

Allison has been loving baking things so she did it this year.

It turned out very well!

 In fact, a few weeks later we tasted a carrot cake from a professional cake place and this cake was SOOOO much better than theirs and I am sure healthier because this one has a ton of carrots and lots of raisins as well. Michelle didn't like it because of the raisins.

Michelle's Award!

Each quarter they have students that have stood out to them for being really good.

Michelle got the award for showing good character.

This says, Michells is being recognized for being responsible. She always follows directions and tries to do her best.

Mrs. Martin, Jan. 2021 

She got a Cool Spring Elementary cup, a pencil, a frozen yogurt coupon, a smiley stress relieved ball and these awards. We are very proud of her!